WEST BRADFORD – It may seem like a couple years ago instead of two months, but the West Chester women’s soccer team actually started the 2025 season with just two wins in its first five outings.
Things turned around from there, of course, and now the Golden Rams are just four more wins away from a national crown. Second-seeded West Chester blanked No. 6 Fairmont State (W.Va.) 2-0 on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament at Rockwell Field to advance to the Atlantic Region Final.
“I am so proud of this team,” said longtime head coach Betty Ann Kempf Townsley. “We had some adversity in the beginning of the season and we found our way through that, and we’ve just grown.
“The growth that I’ve seen in each game is just phenomenal. We have some young kids out on the field but they are playing like they are older.”
Since the slow start, WCU (15-2-4 overall) has dropped just one match – to top-seeded Shepherd (W.Va.) in a PSAC Tournament Semifinal. And that is the matchup for the regional final, to take place on Nov. 30th at a site to be determined. It will be the fourth clash of the season, to go along with a pair of draws in the regular season. The winner will advance to the national quarterfinals.
“I am looking forward to it and I know our girls are too,” Kempf Townsley said. “It’s tough to play a team four times but I think we are ready for the challenge.”
Even though the Rams had a 25-10 advantage in shots on Sunday, the visiting Fighting Falcons (17-2-3), and their ball-control attack, had the West Chester defense under plenty of pressure throughout. It didn’t, however, prevent goalkeeper Grace Keen and defenders like Carley Slavin and Olivia Conroy from notching the 12th shutout of the campaign.
“It takes everybody (on defense) to win on this level. It’s not just two or three players,” Kempf Townsley pointed out.
“The defense was really solid. (Fairmont State) put a lot of pressure on our players but we weathered the storm and were able to feel comfortable. Our backs played with a lot of confidence.”
Sophomore forward Lindsey Balmer registered the first goal, which ended up being the game winner, with 13:11 on the clock in the first half. Teammate Faith Matter weaved in, out and around a slew of defenders and delivered the pass to Balmer, who blasted it into the upper corner of the net.
“It was beautiful. The (FSU) goalkeeper didn’t have a chance,” Kempf Townsley said.
“I remember calling for the ball and (Faith) got it to me,” Balmer added. “She is so good. She generates mostly all of our goals.”
It stayed 1-0 until the closing minutes when Matter (who else) notched her second assist with a centering pass that senior midfielder Victoria Pungello took and powered past FSU keeper Olivia Johnston with 6:15 to go.
“That second goal, putting it away, was a big relief. That took a lot of the pressure off,” said Slavin, a junior.
“(Fairmont State) is very talented with the ball and they were really pressuring us a lot,” Kempf Townsley added. “If we had one breakdown, they would have scored and tied it up. So to get that second goal was huge.”
Although Keen faced just six shots on goal in 90 minutes of action, she made two huge diving saves – one in each half. The Avon Grove graduate stymied FSU’s Monserrat Diaz with 18:10 remaining and the Rams clinging to a 1-0 lead.
“Our backline has been playing together for a while now,” Slavin said. “The four of us and our goalie, we have very good chemistry back there.
“It feels so good to keep our season going, to give our seniors another game and be able to defend our home field. Playing on a field we know in front of all of our fans is a big deal.”
Matter’s two assists upped her season total to a team-high 10th this season. The senior from Middletown stands just 5-foot-4, but she is speedy, skilled and clever.
“Faith draws so much attention and she is very good with the ball,” Kempf Townsley said. “She also has a good mind for the game. And even though she is small and is always playing against bigger opponents who beat her up, she gets through and she fights.
“She’s like a gnat buzzing around out there.”
Much in the way that WCU used its team speed to top another Mountain East Conference foe West Virginia State in the first round, the Rams did it again versus the MEC champs.
“We use our speed a lot. I know it helps us driving the end line and crossing the ball,” said Balmer, who has now scored six goals this season.
“There are some great ingredients we have on this team, and the first is leadership,” Kempf Townsley said. “The fact that this senior group has been to two regional championships and a national championship game. They love that feeling and know what it takes. They are the leaders who got us to this place.
“I do believe that the two best teams in the region are meeting (in the final).”
West Chester 2, Fairmont State 0
Fairmont St. 0 0 – 0
West Chester 1 1 – 2
West Chester goals: Balmer, Pungello.
Goalie saves: Johnston (FSU) 8; Keen (WCU) 6.
Source: Berkshire mont
Be First to Comment